Shell-timing device



Dec. 4 1923. 1,476,552

A. STREICHER SHELL TIMING DEVICE Filed Jan. l2. 1925 Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

-UNITED STATES ALBERT STEEICHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHELL-TIMING DEVICE.

'Application filed January 12, 1923. Serial No. 612,166.

To all whom t may concern: v

' Be it known that I, ALBERT STREJGHER, a citizen Y of the United States, residing at 4New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shell- Timing Devices, of which the following is a' specification.

This invention relates to adevice for setting the caps on ordnance shells which are used to determine the point at which the shell will explode, these caps beingset to `difi'erent explosion points by rotation on the shell body. f

The present invention has for a general object to'provide a novel and improved device of Vthis kind which can be readily manipulated in the dark.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of thel objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the ,following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel featuresof the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a side View of my improved device showing it in place on a shell.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device.

Fig.A 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, also showing it in position on a shell. 4

. Fig. 4is a rear View of the device.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec tional view showing a modified form of position finder. j

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear view of the plate usedjin this modified construction.

Referring now to thefdrawings, my improved device comprises a ring 10 having a handle 11'Y fixed' to one side thereof and projecting in a common plane therewith. The inner wall of this ring is checked'out at one side to receive a plate 14 in which is a comparatively large central aperture 15 having its wall flattened on opposite sides as at 16. The plate 14 may be fixed in the ring 10 by `means of the screws 17. Upon the opposite face of the ring 10 to that in which the plate 15isset, is an inturned flange 20 and in the space between said flange and the plate is positioned for free'rotary movement,'a fiat ring 22,'l from the rear face of which a substantiallyl semi-cylindrical flange 23 projects this flange being of a` diameter to fit snugly over the fore-part of the shell body, indicated at 24. This flange 23 may be knurled or roughened on its outer face as indicated at 23 to facilitate gripping.

It is by relative rotation of the two rings 00 10 and 22 one on the other that the cap is vset for explosion of the shell at the proper point, this being accomplished by the following means. Formed on the ring 10 adjacent the handle 11 is a radially inwardly 05 projecting lug 26 which projects over the rear face of the flat ring 22 and over adovetail annular rear face. In t is groove 27 is freely set a short block 28 ofv complementary cross sec- 70 tion to the groove and which may be locked in the desired adjusted position by means of a screw 29 threaded through the block and adapted to engage in any one of a number of sockets 27 formed in the bottom wall of 75 the groove, this screwhaving a handle eX- tension 29 formed thereon whereby it may' be turned. Fixed at one point in the groove 27 is a stud 32 which projects rearward from the face of the ring 22 and is adapted to 80 engage the lug 26 to limit the relative movement of the two rings in one direction, for the purpose to be presently made apparent.

Formed on and projecting forwardly from the plate 14 are several bosses 35, as 85 here shown three, which are hollow, presenting passages extending completely therethrough and also through the said plate. In these bosses are slidably positioned pins such as 36 each having a cap 37 fixed 90 to its outer end to provide a depressingknob or button whereby it may be moved inward to engage shallow depressions in the forward face of ring 22 and which are arranged in three arcuate rows numbered respectively ward movement of the latter being limited by the bearing of the flange against a suitable shoulder in the boss 35.

` The depressions of the inner row 37 are arranged at considerably different arcuate spacing from that of the two outer rows,

so that the two rings will have a greater rotary movement on one another to bring successive depressions into registry with the corresponding pin on the plate 14, the depressions 37 being spaced at such'distanccs 110 as represent rotary movement of the cap j corresponding to main subdivisions of the roove 27 formed in said `over the depressions in the plate 14.

distan'ce elements or time .elements deter* mining the explosion of the shell. As here indicated the depressions 37 are soV arranged that when the cap is turned on the shell through an arc corresponding to the spacing thereof the shell will explode at one thou' sand metres distance, while. the depressions of the intermediate row 38 are arranged to represent hundred metredistances and those of the outer row 39 thereof. y

These parts just described are intended for use in the'dark, the setting being done, when light is available, by means of markings 43 on the ring 22 viewed through an opening 44 in the outer ring 10.V

The operation of the device, when no light equal subdivisions is' available is as follows: The two rings -10 and 22 are first rotated on one another unftil the stud 32 abuts against the lug 26 as shown Vin Fig. 4, which is the zero point of the device. The two rings arev then given a relative rotation on one another to move'the stud away from the lug and the ins 36 uring this movement one finger of the user is held pressing against the pin adapted to register with the inner rovi7 37 of depressions, if the firing' distance is over one thousand metres.

Assuming say, a distance oftwo thousand one' hundred andfifty metres, the rotary movement of the rings is continued until the pin engages in the second of these depressions. The finger is then removed from the cap on the shell to fire at the ,properV point. The-block 28 is then moved along the groove until it engages the other sidel 4'of the lug to that which had been engaged by the stud atthe zero point of the device,

. and is locked vin this position by turning the screw whose end enters into one of the sockets 27 which will be understood to have a suitable spacing for this purpose. The

Y setting of the cap is then accomplished by placing `the device on the end of the shell with the flange 23 fitting against the body of the shell and the platev 14 engaging the cap, vindicated at 24', the latter being formed with flatv sides corresponding to the flattened parts of the opening 15 in the plate. The

Ishell-'and the flange are gripped in one hand and the handle 11 inthe other, the ring 10 and plate 14 being rotated on the shell In thev `Amodified construction shown in y Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown, instead of the series Vof pins 36 on the plate 14, a single lever 50 extending vertically with `respect, to the plate 14 and forwardly therefrom,

this lever being fulcrumed between its endsV as at 51 on anear 52 on the plateuand projectingat its rear end through a slot 52 Vin the plate and into a circular orv parti-circular groove 54 in the forward face of the ring 22. In the oppositewalls of this groove are curved notches or depressions 55 and 5,6 respectively having a general spacing corresponding to the depressions 37 and 38 or such other spacing as may be desirable. The lever 50 is normally held in neutral position in the groove 54 .by means ofv a'pai-r of springs 58 which are secured at one end to the ear and bear at their opposite ends on opposite sides of the lever. In the operation of this form of the device the finger of the user pulls the lever first into engagement with one wall of groove.54 and then in engagement with the other wall, thereby determining the proper setting. Y c

Having thus described my invention what. I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent vof the United States is as Jfollows: l 1. A device of the class `described comprising a pair of rings adapted for limited rotation von one another, one of said rings being formed with circumferentially spaced indentations, an element on the other ring adapted to yieldinglyV engage in said indentations, Aand mean-s for limiting the'r'ela tive rotary movement of said rings between points determined by the engagement ofthe said element in a selected one of the said indentations.

2. A device of the class described comprising av pair of. rings adapted for limited rotation on one another, .one of said rings being formed with circumferentially spaced indentations7 an elementen the other ring adapted to Yyieldingly engage `in said indentations, and means for limiting the relative rotary movement of said rings between points determined by the engagement of the said element in a selected one of the said indentations, said means comprising a fixed lug on the last named ring, and fixed and movable stop members on the. first namedl ring. Y Y

3. A device of the class' described 4comprising a pair of rings adapted fory limited rotation on one another, one of said rings being formed with circumferentially'spaced indentations, an element on the other ring adapted to yieldingly engage in said indentations, and means for limiting the relative rotary movement of said rings between lap,

points determined by the engagement of the said element in a selected one of the said indentations7 said means comprising a Afixed lug on the last named ring, and fixed Vthreaded therethrough for locking it to the said ring.

4. A device of the class described comprising a pair of rings adapted for limited rotation on one another, one of said rings being formed with circumferentially spaced indentations, an element on the other ring adapted to yieldingly engage in said indentations, and means for limiting the relative rotary movement of said rings between points determined by the engagement of the said element in a selected one of the said indentations, said means comprising a fixed lug on the last named ring, andL fixed and movable stop members on the first named ring, said movable stop member comprising a block slidable in a circular groove in the lirst named ring, and having a screw threaded therethrough for locking it to the said ring, said ring having a circularly arranged series of sockets in which the end of said screw is adapted to engage.

5. A device of the class described comprising a pair of rings arranged for limited rotation on one another, one of said rings being formed with two arcuate rows of indentations, a device on the other ring adapted to yieldingly engage in the indentations of either row, and means for limiting the relative rotary movement of said rings between points determined by the engagement of the said device on a selected one of the said indentations.

6. A device of the class described comprising a pair of rings arranged for limited rotation on one another, one of said rings being formed with two arcuate rows of indentations, a device on the other ring adapted to yieldingly engage in the indentations of either row, and means for limiting the relative rotary movement of said rings between points determined by the engagement of the said device on a selected one of the said indentations, said device comprising a lever pivote-d between its ends on the. said last named ring.

7 A device of the class described comprising a pair of rings arranged for limited r0- tation on one another, one of said rings being formed with two arcuate rows. of indentations, a device on the other ring adapted to yieldingly engage in the indentations of either row7 and means for limiting the relative rotary movement of said rings between points determined by the engagement of the said device on a selected one of the said indentations, said device comprising a lever pivoted between its ends on the said last named ring, and springs engaging said lever to hold it in neutral position.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALBERT STREICHER. 

